Russian Flora Blog

Russia’s own world-renowned gift-giving experts RussianFlora.com announces its newest catalog overflowing with gorgeous flowers, delectable gourmet treats, and memorable gifts sure to melt her heart on Women’s Day.

Release News - March 1, 2010 – RussianFlora.com, the experts in flower and gift delivery throughout the Former Soviet Union, today announced the launch of an expanded online catalog full of stunning flower arrangements, decadent chocolates, delicious wines, and unforgettable gift baskets just in time to commemorate Women’s Day, the time-honored Russian holiday.

Celebrated on the 8th of March, Women’s Day stands out as one of the most romantic, effusive, and love-filled holidays of the year. Similar to a combination of Valentine’s Day and Mother’s day, Women’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate the wisdom, beauty, patience, and unconditional love of the special women in your life - mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, and even colleagues - by showering them with attention, admiration, praise, and - of course – presents. This year, RussianFlora.com is making it easy for spouses, sons, fathers, friends, and business owners to follow tradition and bestow heartwarming gift baskets for Women’s Day upon their special ladies.

Women’s Day celebrations date back to the ancient Romans who honored women with a similar holiday. Once each year matrons (free-born married women) received presents from their husbands and enjoyed their love and attention. Female slaves were given gifts as well and were allowed to have a day off. The women would dress in their best attire, adorn their hair with fragrant flowers, and visit the temple of the goddess Vesta, the beautiful - and wise - guardian of the hearth and home.

“The Roman Empire has fallen and many years have passed, but the fire of Vesta’s hearth still burns in Russia where the tradition of honoring women on the March 8th is still very much alive,” says Dimitriy Pereg, Chief Flower Officer at RussianFlora.com. “In Russia, there’s no better way to shower your precious lady with love, thank her for everything she does, and orchestrate an enchanted evening than to present her with gorgeous flowers and gifts from RussianFlora.com for Women’s day.”

At RussianFlora.com customers can opt to follow tradition by sending red tulips that represent the renewal of spring, the strength of friendship, and the power of love. Another common choice for Women’s Day is the bright yellow mimosa which stands for vitality, joy, wisdom, and warmth. But don’t let tradition tie you down this Women’s Day; any spring flowers that will catch her eye will do for a Women’s Day Bouquet to Russia, and at RussianFlora.com you can combine flowers and build the perfect bouquet or romantic basket.

Don’t forget that flowers only complement your Women’s Day gift to Russia. Along with plenty of positive compliments it is customary to give delicious chocolates, adorable plush toys, and striking gift baskets with women’s favorite items such as sweets, perfumes, cosmetics, and gourmet treats. Men: No matter what you want to send your beloved this Women’s Day, RussianFlora.com has the perfect gift for March 8th. You’ll find a huge variety of holiday gift baskets for family members and business associates that are sure to warm any heart and titillate any tastes. Some men struggle with finding the perfect gift for a woman, but they don’t have to worry when they order a fabulous gift basket from RussianFlora.com because hardly any woman can resist a gift of succulent fruits, high-quality gourmet treats, mouthwatering chocolates, delicious wine, and lovely flowers.

Women’s Day Gift Baskets from RussianFlora.com are specially designed to show your passion, gratitude, friendship, and love with elegance, beauty, and unmatched quality not only this Women’s Day, but also on any romantic occasion. You can order Women’s Day flowers and Women’s Day gifts to make this Women’s Day the best she’s ever had.

About RussianFlora.com

RussianFlora.com is a BBB accredited company based in the Former Soviet Union that specializes in delivering superior quality gifts to Russia and all over the world. By maintaining professional relationships with established, local florists and gift delivery companies in each region, RussianFlora.com has become renowned for its incredible selection of fresh, beautiful flowers and stunning romantic gifts as well as its ability to guarantee delivery in Russia within 48 hours, and its dedication to providing high-quality customer service. Learn more about the company at www.RussianFlora.com.

CAMBRIDGE, MA, March 29, 2009—Flowers and gifts are sent to celebrate special occasions and bring joy to their recipients. Often the sender does not know how the recipient feels about a gift delivery until a phone call can connect the two. Considering the fact that many gifts are delivered internationally, where time zones are completely different, the gift-giving process can feel quite drawn-out. Russian Flora identified this problem and developed an innovative solution: gift givers can now receive a digital video via email of their loved one receiving the delivery, bringing the gift giving experience full circle.

Play Sample Video of Flower Delivery to Moscow

Digital video services can be added to any order available from RussianFlora.com. Sample gifts include roses, assorted flower baskets and bouquets, gift baskets, gourmet gifts, balloons, and party cakes. Currently, the digital video service is available for $12.95 USD in the major eastern European cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Belgorod, Kazan, Krasnodar, Vladivostok, Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Melitopol, Mariupol, Minsk and other large cities. The company plans to add additional cities in the near future.

When the sender opens the email from Russian Flora, he or she is able to view a video, up to 30 seconds in length, of the receipt during the delivery. Often the recipient will take the opportunity to thank the sender and show him or her the gift. Not only does this service give the sender a concrete, emotional keepsake, but it also allows the sender to see the delivered product to ensure it is of high quality.

The company’s main client base is comprised of Russians living in the U.S. as well as Americans, western Europeans and other international individuals who purchase gift baskets and flowers for loved ones in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Because great distances often separate the sender and the recipient, a digital video can act to bridge the distance between the two. “When sending flowers to Russia, our clients find that receiving a video really captures a special moment and creates a lasting, emotional memento,” says David Skol, founder and CEO of Russian Flora.

View Sample Video of Flower Delivery to Nikolaev, Ukraine

Russian Flora’s billing policy for digital video services takes into consideration that at times the recipient will decline to be video taped: the gift sender is not charged for the video service at the time of placing the order, rather the billing occurs within 24 hours after flower delivery to Russia is completed.

Thus far, the digital video service has seen an overwhelming success. Approximately 72% of gift givers have elected to use digital video services or digital picture services offered through RussianFlora.com since their implementation.

See more video samples on YouTube and examples on Russian Flora website.

About Russian Flora:

Russian Flora specializes in high-quality, affordable gift and flower delivery to Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe. The company works directly with established, local Russian florists to offer deliveries within 24-48 hours of submitted orders. After the founder and owner David Skol experienced firsthand that many of the existing delivery services to Russia provided either low-quality or over-priced flowers and gifts, he decided to provide a U.S.-based service that would provide the type of service he believed was lacking. Learn more at www.RussianFlora.com.

Contact Information

David Skol

Director of Marketing

RussianFlora.com

+1-888-294-9941

pr@russianflora.com

We’re wishing you a Christmas
Full of laughter, love and light,
With delicious holiday foods
To excite your appetite.

We’re hoping you receive
Delightful gifts to make you smile,
With family and friends
To love you all the while.

We wish you a Merry Christmas;
May your Christmas dreams come true,
And when Christmas is over,
Happy New Year, too!

If you are sending gifts to Russia or flowers to Russia this holiday season, then there are certain customs you should know before you arrange a delivery. Most notably, much of the nation celebrates the winter holidays in January. While most Americans celebrate Christmas at the end of December, many Russians observe Russian Christmas on January 7th, and practically every Russian celebrates the New Year in grand style.

Because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar to determine religious holidays, some Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th. December 25th celebrations are commonly referred to the Catholic Christmas holiday (even though many protestants celebrate on this day as well). Knowing which time period your recipient celebrates can help you time your gift delivery to Russia correctly. However, a time of universal celebration is New Year. It is actually the more widely and extravagantly celebrated holiday. Therefore, a great alternative to sending a Christmas gift to Russia is to send a general holiday gift or a “New Year gift” that can be used to celebrate the New Year.

When Russia was a part of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not widely or openly celebrated. As a result, New Years celebrations became much larger and came to include gift exchanges and New Years trees. However, after the fall of Soviet Union, Christmas began to be openly celebrated again. Even today many Russians refer to their trees as New Years trees and their gifts as New Years gifts.

On Christmas the family gathers around the table to honor the coming Christ Child. A white tablecloth is used to symbolize Christ’s swaddling clothes and hay is displayed as a reminder of the poverty of the place where Jesus was born. A tall white candle is placed in the center of the Table, to symbolize Christ - the “Light of the World.” A large round loaf of “pagach”, a special Lenten bread, is placed beside the candle to symbolize Christ - the “Bread of Life”.

The father begins the Christmas meal by leading the family in the Lord’s Prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year and for the good things to come in the new year. The head of the family greets those present with “Christ is Born!” - the traditional Russian Christmas greeting - and the family responds with “Glorify Him!” The Lenten bread (Pagach) is then broken and shared. The bread is dipped first in honey to symbolize the sweetness of life and then in chopped garlic to symbolize life’s bitterness. The “Holy Supper” is then eaten. Traditionally, it consists of 12 different foods, symbolic of the 12 Apostles. After dinner the family goes to church for the Christmas Mass which lasts until after midnight.

Both New Year and Orthodox Russian Christmas involve feasting and presents exchanges between friends and family members. New Years is generally a bit grander holiday celebration with more focus on drinking and large gatherings. For this reason, food and spirits make great gifts for the holiday season—favorites include chocolates, cakes, cookies, roasted nuts, fruit, wine, cheese, caviar, Champagne, spirits, and a variety of other gourmet treats. For many people, the holidays are a time to indulge in rich or expensive foods and drinks that they normally do not consume.

With all this in mind, sending a gift basket to Russia or sending flowers to Russia is a great way to celebrate the holidays, even when you cannot be with your loved ones. Many business owners also take advantage of corporate gift baskets for the business associates during the holiday season.

RussianFlora.com is a great resource for gift and flower delivery to Russia. Their 2008 Christmas/New Years catalog is filled with gift ideas that are ideal for friends, family or clients. If you want to send food, they have the VIP Tray, which includes a variety of imported cheeses, fruits, roasted nuts, and tons of other gourmet goodies. To celebrate the festive New Year, they have their Holiday Champagne and Chocolates Tray, which includes two bottles of bubbly and three boxes of assorted chocolates. Or if you’d rather send a Christmas-themed gift, try their charming Mini Christmas Tree potted plant, or the Santa Gift Bag, which is a stocking stuffed with tons of goodies for children.

The online gift and flower delivery company is offering a special promotion just for the holiday season: order before December 14th and receive 10% off of any order over $99 USD. Whether you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift or a New Years delivery, planning your holiday gift-giving to Russia should be a snap this year!

About Russian Flora:
Russian Flora specializes in high-quality, affordable gift  and flower delivery to Russia , CIS and Eastern Europe. The company works directly with established, local Russian florists to offer deliveries within 24-48 hours of submitted orders. After the founder and owner David Skol experienced firsthand that many of the existing delivery services to Russia provided either low-quality or over-priced flowers and gifts, he decided to provide a U.S.-based service that would provide the type of service he believed was lacking. Learn more at www.RussianFlora.com.

Those who have business associates, family members or a significant other living in Russia or parts of Eastern Europe should be aware of the differences—or some would say complexities—of the season compared to the Christmas season in the United States before sending a holiday gift or flowers to Russia.

When Russia was a part of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not widely or openly celebrated. As a result, New Years celebrations became much larger and came to include gift exchanges and “New Years” trees. However, after the fall of Soviet Union, Christmas began to be openly celebrated by many. Some Russians celebrate the holiday on December 25th, while others celebrate on January 7th because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar to determine religious holidays. December 25th celebrations are commonly referred to the Catholic Christmas holiday (even though many protestants celebrate on this day as well).

When sending a Christmas gift, any time between the middle of December and just before January 7th, you’d better schedule your delivery. However, if you know that recipients celebrate on December 25th, then earlier is better. Gift baskets and flower arrangements sent to offices can be delivered even earlier as employees generally have time off for the holidays.

The Catholic Christmas celebration includes a mix of religious and cultural traditions. Generally, families and friends meet to exchange Christmas gifts and to feast. Food and spirits make great gifts for the holiday season—favorites include chocolates, cakes, cookies, roasted nuts, fruit, wine, cheese, caviar and a variety of other gourmet treats. For many people, Christmas is a time to indulge in rich or expensive foods that they normally do not eat.

St. Nicholas is an important Christmas-time figure in Russia. During communist rule, Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) replaced the icon, but today you’ll see many decorations featuring St. Nicholas again. Christmas trees, generally triangle shaped evergreens, are decorated with ornaments and lights each year. Additionally, the colors red and green are used for decorations, clothing and holiday wrapping during the season while poinsettias and other red flowers are commonly used for decoration.

With all this in mind, sending flowers to Russia or sending a gift basket is a great way to celebrate the holidays even when you cannot be with your loved ones or if you have international business associates. When you send a gift overseas, it is best to choose a reputable company that specializes in gift delivery between your country and your recipient’s. RussianFlora.com is an example of a company that specializes in gift and flower delivery to Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe, so they carry Russian favorites in traditional Christmas colors and styles.

CAMBRIDGE, MA, November 21, 2008 — With the popular D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) trend, many consumers feel that making gifts and household items is not only enjoyable but also more personal. Russian Flora, an online, international gift and flower delivery company, joins the trend with its BouquetBuilder™ tool, which allows customers to virtually create their own bouquets.

Flower Bouquet Builder from Russian Florist

When sending flowers to loved ones who live far away, the idea of making a customized arrangement probably sounds impractical. However, with Russian Flora’s BouquetBuilder™ tool, users can select the recipient’s favorite colors and flower varieties to make a unique bouquet, which will be assembled and delivered by local Russian florists. Additionally, the BouquetBuilder™ tool incorporates detailed descriptions and meanings connected to certain flower varieties, allowing users to create an especially meaningful arrangement.

The virtual assembly process is simple. The user can view a large selection of flower types and colors in a column on the left side of the screen. By rolling the cursor over a flower icon, the user can read interesting information about the variety. To select a flower, the user simply drags the icon into the bouquet in the center of the screen. As the user progresses, he or she may decide to change certain selections; simply dragging a flower out of the bouquet area will automatically remove it from the arrangement. Users can watch the bouquet grow right before their eyes.

The benefit of price control is also empowering to those using the BouquetBuilder™. A user can build any size bouquet from a sentimental, single flower to a huge, breathtaking bouquet.

Russian Flora constantly works to meet its clients’ needs and wants. In addition to the customization options that the BouquetBuilder™ offers, they also offer shoppers the opportunity to request customized gifts of any type—tickets to events, local delicacies, electronics, etc. This option is especially popular around the holidays and for birthdays.

Russian Flora provides gift and flower delivery to Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe. They have established a large network of florists that assemble and deliver flower and gift arrangements purchased on Russian Flora’s website. By creating a network of established, reputable florists and having multilingual customer service representatives based in the United States, Russian Flora takes the guesswork out of finding a florist for those who want to send flowers to Russia and Eastern Europe.

The BouquetBuilder is expected to find the height of its popularity with the typical DIY crowd of 21-42 year-olds. Whether the user wants to make a funky, trendy arrangement, a monochromatic bouquet, or a more traditional collection of flowers, the BouquetBuilder™ can make it a reality.

About Russian Flora:
Russian Flora specializes in high-quality, affordable gift and flower deliveries to Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe. The company works directly with established, local Russian florsts to offer deliveries within 24-48 hours of submitted orders. After the founder and owner David Skol experienced firsthand that many of the existing delivery services to Russia provided either low-quality or over-priced flowers and gifts, he decided to provide a U.S.-based service that would provide the type of service he believed was lacking. Learn more at www.RussianFlora.com.